Australia secures 500,000 more Pfizer vaccines from Singapore in a ‘jab swap’ deal brokered by the countries’ Prime Ministers
- Scott Morrison bought 1m doses of Pfizer vaccine from Poland two weeks ago
- Now he has arranged a jab swap deal with Singapore for 500,000 vaccines
- In return, Australia will give Singapore 500,000 doses in December
- The doses are expected to be shared between states on a per capita basis
Australia will take 500,00 vaccines from Singapore this week in a jab swap deal brokered by the countries’ prime ministers.
The doses will be shared between the states and territories on a per capita basis and will be distributed next week.
In return, Australia will give Singapore the same amount of Pfizer doses in December.
Scott Morrison (left) and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (right) shake hands at the Istana Presidential Palace in Singapore on June 7
Singapore was happy to hand over its doses because 77.6 per cent of its citizens are fully vaccinated already. It could then use Australia’s doses as booster shots in December.
Scott Morrison has been scrambling to secure more Pfizer jabs from friendly countries as Australia’s jab rollout ramps up with 34.41 per cent of over 16s fully vaccinated.
Two weeks ago the Federal Government bought 1million Pfizer doses from Poland, giving half to Covid-ravaged NSW and splitting the rest between the other states and territories.
Victoria complained that NSW was given preferential treatment and demanded a fair share of any more extra supplies.
‘I’m very keen to make sure that we don’t see anything other than a proper proportional distribution of any additional vaccines, and the Prime Minister has given me that commitment,’ Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday.
Australia will take 500,00 vaccines from Singapore this week in a jab swap deal. Pictured: Pfizer doses arrive at Sydney Airport in February
In a press conference on Friday, Mr Morrison said he was working on several deals which gave him confidence to open vaccinations up to younger teenagers from September 13.
‘We have some promising leads in terms of doses. I can’t confirm those at this point, but we’ve been working on them now for some time,’ he said.
‘That is giving us some greater confidence about being able to particularly go forward with this decision to vaccinate children aged 12 to 15.’
Under 18s can only get Pfizer because AstraZeneca is not licensed for children.
Australia’s first shipment of the Moderna vaccine – which is similar to Pfizer – will arrive soon with a million doses in September, then another three million in each of October, November, and December.
Australia has an abundance of AstraZeneca vaccines but supply of Pfizer – which is preferred for under 60s – is tight, with several states and territories asking for more.
Meanwhile, the federal government continues to pressure premiers to stick to the national re-opening plan which phases out lockdowns in two stages when 70 and 80 per cent of over 16s are vaccinated.
The plan, which opens international borders when 80 per cent are jabbed, makes no mention of state borders – but Mr Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg have been encouraging cautious leaders to open up because eliminating Covid is unsustainable.
Some states are threatening to keep their borders closed or require higher jab rates before scrapping lockdowns, raising the prospect that Australia will remain a divided nation for months to come
What are the four phases of opening up?
A. Vaccinate, prepare and pilot (from July 14)
Arrival caps cut in half to 3,035 a week; early, stringent and short lockdowns if outbreaks occur; trials of seven-day home quarantine for vaccinated arrivals in South Australia; medicare vaccination certificates available on apps like apple wallet
B. Post vaccination phase (when 70 per cent are jabbed, expected late this year)
Lockdowns less likely but possible; vaccinated people face reduced restrictions; caps for unvaccinated arrivals increased; a larger cap for vaccinated arrivals with ‘reduced quarantine requirements’; capped entry for students and economic visa holders
C. Consolidation phase (when 80 per cent are jabbed, time not announced)
Only ‘highly targeted’ lockdowns; lifting all restrictions for outbound travel for vaccinated travellers; no caps for vaccinated arrivals; increased caps for students and visa holders; more travel bubbles being set up with countries such as Singapore; booster shots rolled out
D. Final phase (percentage or time not announced)
Uncapped arrivals for vaccinated people without any quarantine and uncapped arrivals for unvaccinated people with testing before departure and on arrival
